Page 23

Chapter 22

I glare at the computer screen as if I could change what’s staring back at me. It’s confirmed, no doubt about it. After dragging Allie down to the ED and getting a urine pregnancy test—which came back positive—I also ordered a blood test.

Sighing, I head into the room where Allie’s waiting. The nurse administered an anti-nausea medication per my order and hung a liter of IV fluids. Her eyes meet mine as I pull up a chair next to her bed.

“Do you have any idea when your last period was?” I ask softly.

“No.” She shakes her head. “Everything’s been so hectic, and I didn’t even realize I missed it. I take my birth control pill religiously, but I guess I didn’t notice I skipped the placebo pills.”

“When did you start feeling sick?”

“A few days ago,” she says with a slight tremor in her voice. “I thought maybe it was a stomach virus or something I ate. I can’t believe this.”

“Based on the hormone levels in your blood, it looks like you’re about four to six weeks along.” My voice takes on a clinical tone, the professional distance feels so wrong when I’m speaking to my best friend in the world. “It’s too soon to see anything on an ultrasound, but we should get you in with an obstetrician in the next couple of weeks. If you notice any bleeding or stomach pain, come in immediately.”

“Tess.” Her hand clutches mine, eyes pleading. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I need you to be here for me. Promise me—no matter how you feel about Dalton—you won’t leave me.”

I should be calling the police. Or stringing him up by his toes and gutting him like a fish. Instead, I watch her tears fall like rain, and I can’t move, my heart breaking for her. A child won’t make the situation with Dalton any better, but I know Allie, and she’s always dreamed of being a mom.

“Please don’t tell anyone. Don’t do anything. Let me figure this out myself.”

“Alright.” I let out a heavy sigh. “I’ll back off for now. But if he touches you again, all bets are off.”

Her face brightens, and she gives me a real smile, the first I’ve seen today from her. “I promise, you’ll be the first person I call.”

The day drags on relentlessly as I struggle to mask the storm of emotions brewing inside me, desperately determined to keep my professional facade in place. I treat patient after patient, nothing urgent, just one minor thing after another. But I give each one the same care, as if they were the only thing that mattered .

I feel my phone buzz in my pocket and I’m hoping for a message from Allie, praying she kicked that asshole to the curb. But no such luck. It's not her. Yet, for some reason, my heart skips a beat.

Eli: Hey, what are you up to later?

I wait a few minutes before responding. There’s no reason to let him think I’ve been waiting on him all day.

Me: Thinking of going home to get some sleep. I didn’t get much last night.

Eli: I don’t remember you complaining.

He’s right. Still, I don’t want him to read too much into what’s happening between us. It was just sex. “Sure it was ,” the devil on my shoulder mocks .

Me: Last night was really great. But things are crazy, so I’ll have to get back to you. Oh, an emergency’s coming in. Talk later.

I watch the bubbles pop up and disappear, waiting for him to respond. They don’t reappear. Images of my time with Eli, in bed and out, play out like a movie reel in my mind. Forcing myself back into the present, I recall the breaking news report from yesterday.

I head to the doctor’s lounge, dig through my purse for a burner phone, and send a quick text to Bryce. I need to know everything about my next target—Ronald Tweed—the low-life who abuses helpless kids.

After a long shift, I’m finally leaving the parking lot, mentally and physically drained. I get a ding on my phone. Siri reads me the message from Bryce, letting me know he has sent the information I need to the burner cell.

A wave of energy floods me, and I crank up the radio, singing along to my Eminem playlist. A few moments later, I pull into a driveway that doesn’t belong to me. I’d gone to great lengths to find Eli’s address, but I’d intended to go home.

Shaking my head, I park behind a silver truck and walk up the front steps. I ring the doorbell, suddenly unsure. What if I’m interrupting something? He could have another woman over. I did evade his attempts to meet up, and lost in my own what-ifs, I’m startled when the door swings open.

I can’t help but notice he’s wearing only a towel, droplets of water still clinging to his hair. There’s a light stubble on his chin, which only accentuates his jawline. Those piercing eyes seem to stare into my soul. My mouth goes dry. I force myself to swallow.

“Who’s the stalker now?” Eli teases, his grin knowing, as he leans against the doorframe.

“I figured you were too busy for me.”

I hear Jace’s voice behind Eli.

“Oh God, I should’ve texted or called first.” My face flushes and mortified, I turn to flee, hoping to disappear before the embarrassment settles in fully. “I’ll go.”

Before I can take a step, his hand clamps around my arm, stopping me, and I spin back around. Jace is standing behind Eli, holding a beer. His emerald eyes flick between us with a wicked glint.

“I knew you guys were close, but...” I say with a raised eyebrow.

Eli smirks. “Only in his dreams.”

Jace bursts out laughing. “You couldn’t handle this dick, Eli.” He turns his gaze back at me, amusement glinting in his eyes.

“You two are something else,” I say with a grin tugging at my lips.

“We were just having a beer and talking about casting a line to see if we could catch some perch. But I just remembered I had something to do. See you tomorrow, bro,” he says, slapping Eli on the shoulder as he heads out the door. “Good to see you, Tess,” he adds, climbing into the ATV I’d overlooked when I arrived.

So much for being the observant killer . I give a small smile and a half wave.

Eli pulls me inside and locks the door behind him. The towel remains snugly wrapped around his waist. I wish it would just fall off already.

“Like what you see, Tessa?” His gaze burns through me, following the path my eyes took.

Without thinking, I launch myself at him, standing on my tiptoes to pull his lips down to mine. I kiss him fiercely— desperately— like it’s the only thing that matters. He responds immediately, deepening the kiss as his hands slide under my scrub top to unhook my bra. In less than five seconds, I’m topless, my pants and panties dropping to the floor. I step out of my shoes and climb his body like a tree. My legs wrap around his waist, and I moan at the feeling of his erection pressing into my clit. Shivers crawl down my spine. I’ve never wanted anyone like this. I’m not sure how I feel about it, but for now, I’m going to enjoy the ride.

I pull back slightly, locking eyes with him. “This is nothing more than sex. It can’t be anything more. ”

“Keep telling yourself that,” he replies as he pulls me back into a kiss, not breaking it as he carries me upstairs to what I assume is his primary bedroom. Tossing me onto the bed, the towel drops from his hips. His erection stands at full attention, a bead of pre-cum leaking from the tip.

He climbs on top of me, staring down, cupping my breasts. “Gorgeous, just fucking perfect.” He takes one nipple into his mouth, kneading the other with his hand. I grind my hips against him, impatient. Reaching down, I grab his shaft, guiding him into my soaking entrance. He slams into me, my hips shifting to accommodate his wide girth. He buries himself to the hilt, then pulls out, sliding back in—at first with fast, rough strokes, then slowing to a steady rhythm. “Stop fucking teasing me, Eli.” He growls, thrusting roughly, but I don’t feel any pain—only the pleasure building rapidly. I explode, my pussy clenching around his cock as I ride out the orgasm. Following closely behind, a guttural sound escapes him as he finds his own release, his cum filling me up. After our breathing slows, he eases out of me, grabs a rag, and washes me gently. No one has ever done that for me before. He treats me like I’m special. Worthy. Something stirs inside me—something I’ve never felt before. He crawls back into bed, cradling me against his chest. As sleep lulls me under, I swear I hear him whisper, “Mine.”

I stir awake, blinking slowly, trying to focus on my surroundings. Where am I? It takes a moment to realize I’m still cradled in Eli’s arms, and I must admit, I feel safe here. Everything in me feels grounded. My racing thoughts are at bay, and there are no nightmares. I swallow a sigh—I'm in quite a predicament. What started as sex has quickly become something more. I need to leave, even though I don’t want to. I disentangle myself from his embrace. He rolls over onto his left side, the sheets falling to his waist. Damn, if he doesn’t have the tightest ass I’ve ever seen. Fuck, I’m ruined forever. I tiptoe to the bathroom to pee, wash my face, and search for my clothes. The shower is in the middle of a remodel, which looks remarkable so far. He has good handiwork. Shit. Stop thinking about his hands. Get out of here now. Silently, I ease out of the bathroom and bedroom, giving him one last glance before sneaking away. I grab my clothes, throwing them on. My phone reveals it’s just after one in the morning. I rush to my car and drive home, scanning for any signs of danger. I’ve been more cautious since the break-in, and a glance over my security footage shows no unusual activity, inside or out. I grip the handle of my trusty pocketknife, just in case. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, I head up the steps and enter the house. After securing the doors, and resetting the alarm, I rush through a quick shower and change clothes before retrieving my laptop from my secret room. Logging in, I pull up Bryce’s file on Ronald Tweed. Here we go, motherfucker.